The Little Things

Little things. A hair brush. A bottle of dishwashing liquid. A toothbrush and a tube of toothpaste. A roll of paper towels. Just a few disposable diapers. A box of facial tissues. Nothing big, but all definitely a necessity.

These, along with all sorts of paper, personal hygiene, and cleaning products are being collected at church as their Advent project. All items will be given to the Valley County Food Bank. Also being sought as well are coupons for food items.

This isn’t just an Advent project, though, for this little country church. It is a project that could take place year round by individuals. Perhaps when you are purchasing items such as these for your own home, you could add one or two extra ones for the food bank.

Consider a family or a couple or even a single individual who has just moved to our community. Yes, we think they will have everything they need, but that isn’t necessarily so. There are times people are moving to find work and do not have the funds to purchase all the items they are in need of.

We should take time to think of needs of others - no matter how small those needs are.

There are so many ways we could help out someone who is having a tough time. Not just by buying items for them, but also by offering our time. It could be something as simple as making a casserole and dessert for the new neighbors next door. That casserole may be just exactly what they need to get them through the next day or so as they begin to get themselves situated.

It would also show them that there are people in their new community who truly care about them and their needs.

Another way to assist new people to our area is provide them a list of doctors, dentists, and pharamacies as well as schools and recreational activities. You could also add the names of organizations that offer help. How great would it be if people moving here were given a sort of directory of what is available in the community.

So often we take little things for granted. We forget to appreciate such things as sunshine, being able to hear birds sing, enjoying our favorite music, having the ability to see the beauty in our world, even being able to walk or get dressed without assistance.

Several weeks ago a friend of mine had a stroke. None of her motor skills were impacted but she had trouble being able to say what she wanted to. She’d lost her ability to talk. Thankfully she has since recovered to a large degree. She still has trouble with some words but she is making tremendous progress.

A simple thing like talking, yet she lost it. For a while. Something that could easily happen to any one of us.

Maybe we should take more time to appreciate the simple things in our lives and the lack of them in others, then take whatever steps we need to in order to remember them.